Stoker conveying mechanism



April 5, 1938. w. N. WRIGHT STOKER CONVEYING MECHAN'ISM Original Filed July lO, 1934 Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l to The Standard Stoker Company, Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Original application July 10, 1934, `Serial No.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to locomotive stokers, and it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this kind which can be applied substantially as a unit into working position without necessitating any material changes in the construction of the locomotive or tender.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind wherein the conveying system of the stoker is mounted upon and is entirely above the decks or floors of the locomotive and tender.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stoker which is of a straight line type or which from one end to the other provides travel for the fuel from the tender to the fire bed in a path free from curves whereby clogging of the fuel is substantially .eliminated permitting the desired conveying of the fuel with a minimum of power.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind which leads from the tender to the fire box of the locomotive and wherein the apparatus is provided with a structure to readily compensate for the necessary motion between the locomotive and tender in making curves or as may occurr in' straight ahead transit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind which leads from the tender to the iire box of a locomotive and wherein the conveyor construction comprises separable sections in operative engagement when the apparatus is assembled forl use but which sections readily separate when it is desired to uncouple the tender from the locomotive and without the necessity of manual operations on the part of the crew or other operators.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind comprising a conduit Aleading from the tender to the fire bed of the locomotive and wherein said conduit comprises a plurality of sections, said sections successively increasing in cross sectional area from the tender outward thus permitting passage of full load capacity by the screw Yconveyingmeans working within said sections of the conduit.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved locomotive Stoker whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be thevbetter Divided and this application December 1, 1936, Serial No.

understood, I will now proceed to describe the M same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure lis a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a locomotive stoker constructed in accordance with an embodiment ofiny invention, the associated portions of the locomotive andthe tender being shown in fragment;

Figure 2 is a reduced fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and n Figure 3 is a reduced fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 1. 1

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, I denotes the back ilre wall as conventionally provided in a locomotive generally indicated as L while T denotes the forward portion yof a conventional tender. .The locomotive. L and the tender T are coupled together by a conventional draw bar D and having interposed therebetween the general type of buffer castings B. The forward wall 2 of the tender T in its lower vportion and at substantially its transverse center is provided with an opening 3 through which is directed the rear or inner section of the conduit ortrough 4 as comprised in my improved apparatus.`

As particularly illustrated in Figure 3, this trough 4 in transverse section is substantially U- shaped in form and has welded or otherwise xedly secured to its `opposite side Walls the plates 5. These plates 5 extend substantially from one end to the other of the trough 4 and are provided along their longitudinal marginal por'- tions with the outstanding flanges 6 which may be readily bolted, as at 1, or otherwise detachably connected with the deck or floor 8 of the tender T. By vthis means it is believed to be readily apparent that the trough 4 may be readily placed in desired position upon the deck or floor 8 of the tender 'I without any material'struc-- tural changes being made in such tender T other than the formation of the proper opening 3.

The forward wall 2 of the tender T immediately above the opening 3 is provided with a crusher plate 9 of any preferredtype and said forward wall 2 immediately adjacent to and-above the crusher plate 9 is provided with a vertically disposed opening IU of a material height. This opening Ill provides means whereby incase of an emergency an engineman may have access to the coal within the tender adjacent its crusher mouth. Il to break up such lump coal or any other obstruction which may be withinthe coal interfering with its proper delivery to the screw conveyor S workingin the trough 4.

Disposed along opposite sides of the trough 4 substantially from one end to the other are the rods 24 which, as herein disclosed, are suitably supported by outstanding brackets 25 carried by the upper marginal portions of the plates 5. The plates as particularly illustrated in Figure 3 extend a slight distance above the upper marginal edges of the trough 4 whereby guides or trackways 26 are provided for the free longitudinal marginal portions of the sliding covers 21. These covers 21 are each provided in their opposite ends and at both sides with the lugs 28 having their free end portions provided with openings 29 through which the rods 24 are directed and whereby each of said covers 21 is supported for sliding movement along the rods 24. By the medium of these covers 21 effective control is had of the delivery.

of the coal in the tender proper within the trough 4. The covers 21 are of a number insufcient to extend over the entire length of the trough 4 so that initially the forward portion of such trough 4 will be open. As the coal enters the trough through said forward open portion the remainder of the trough is closed against the coal. However, as said coal is carried out from within the tender T and passes substantially beyond said forward open portion of the trough 4, the rst cover 21 is slid forward thus causing the open top portion of the trough 4 to be located rearward of its previous position. As the coal continues to recede within the tender T the covers 21 in proper succession are slid forward and this can be carried on until the tender T is substantially entirely empty.

It is to be stated that the trough 4 is preferably positioned upon the deck or floor 8 of the tender T at substantially its transverse center. The inner end of the trough 4 is closed by a head 30 which provides a mounting for one end portion of the shaft 3| of the spiral conveyor S. This conveyor S is of a length to extend out through and beyond the opening 3 in the lower portion of the front wall 2 of the tender T so that it may have desired effective coaction with the driving `unit C which in accordance with the present embodiment of my invention is mounted upon the deck or floor of the tender in advance of the front wall 2. This driving unit C comprises a tubular section 32 in which is slidably or telescopically engaged the forward or extended end portion 33 of the trough 4, which extended portion 33 is circular in cross section for desired coaction with the tubular member 32. The tubular member 32, which is operatively connected with the screw conveyor S, carries substantially midway its ends a worm gear 36.

The worm gear 36 meshes as herein disclosed with a worm 43 carried by a shaft 44 disposed at right angles to the axial center of the tubular member 32, which shaft 44 is adapted to be driven by any suitable source of power carried by the tender T.

The worm 43 also preferably rotates in oil, for which purpose an oil container 45 is positioned upon the deck or floor of the tender T immediately below the worm 43. This container 45 is to hold a supply of oil at a level sufficient to assure effective lubrication of the worm 43.

The forward end portion of the tubular member 32 telescopically engages within an end portion of a tubular member 46 comprised in a knuckle joint E. A second member 41 of this knuckle joint is arranged at an end portion of a second or intermediate con-duit section 48. This section 48 is of desired length and is circular in cross section at its opposite end portions. Its central part at the top, however, is open as at 49 to allow access within the section 48 for the purpose of removing clogs or otherwise as the requirements of practice may necessitate. This top opening 49 is normally closed by a cover 50 which may be maintained in closed position in any manner which suits the convenience of practice, said means being generally indicated at 5I.

The screw conveyor S is connected within the knuckle joint E by a universal joint (not shown) with the shaft 53 of a screw conveyor S' extending through the conduit section 48, and it is to be noted that the interior diameter of this conduit section 48 is of greater radius than the radius of the lower curved portion of the trough 4. This is of advantage as it assures more effective travel of the coal from one section to the other.

The forward end portion of the tubular conduit section 48 carries a knuckle section 54 comprised in the knuckle joint E'. A second member 55 of this knuckle joint E is carried by an end portion of a relatively short conduit member 56 which freely and telescopically engages within the cylindrical end portion of the conduit section 51. 'Ihis conduit section 51 is supported at a desired height or elevation with respect to the deck or oor of the locomotive by the blocks or pillars 51 interposed therebetween.

As is particularly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the knuckle member 55 of the knuckle joint E' is provided with a depending block 58 having its side portions provided with outstanding flanges 59 which are slidably engaged within the guideways 60 carried by a plate or block 6| mounted upon the floor or deck of the locomotive. By this means the forward end portion of the second or intermediate conduit section 48 is positively supported against dropping but in a manner to allow the section 56 to have endwise movement with the section 48 as may be required to compensate for lost motion between the locomotive and tender as may occur when making a turn, uneven tracks in straightaway or from any other cause.

The forward end portion of the shaft 53 of the conveyor S is connected by the universal joint 62 to the shaft 63 of the screw conveyor S working within both of the conduit sections 56 and 51.

The rear part of the section 51 at its top is also provided with an opening 64 to allow desired access within the section 51 and also the section 56 for removing lumps or other obstructions or otherwise as may be required, said opening 64 being normally closed by the cover 65. The cover 65 and the cover 50 in the present embodiment of my invention are held in applied position in substantially the same manner and each of these covers 50 or 65 has one marginal portion hingedly. connected, as at 66, the opposite marginal portion having detachably engaging therewith when in closed position the swinging bolt 5I upon which is threaded a holding or locking nut 61.

The forward end portion of the conduit section 51 has its top or upper portion cut away and is adapted to be closed by a removable head 1|.

The bottom portion or wall of the conduit section 51 extending along the hand opening 10 is disposed, as at 16, on an upward and forward incline to provide a coal bridge which serves as a means 'to raise the coal as it passes through the conduit section 51 up upon the horizontal coal bridge 11.

Suitably supported by the horizontal coal bridge 11 therebelow is the coal spreading unit F which comprises a manifold 19 extending in a direction transversely of the section 51 and which is provided at points spaced therealong With a plurality of nozzles 8D. As this coal is discharged or delivered from the delivery end of the section 51 it is received upon a perforated firing plate 8| which is also suitably supported by the horizontal bridge 11. By having the coal rs't received upon this firing plate 8| it is more effectively distributed over the re bed by the iiuid under pressure, such as steam or air discharging out through the nozzles 80. 'I'he manifold 19 also carries at substantially its longitudinal center a forwardly directed nozzle 82 which underlies the firing plate 8|. The uid under pressure discharged from this nozzle 82 serves as a cooling medium for the ring plate 8| and also to prevent the re or coal banking up under the plate and thus prevent burning out of the plate.

The manifold 19 is detachably connected by a suitable coupling 83 with a pipeline 84 leading from a desired source of steam or compressed air.

The conduit section 56 and the rear portion of th conduit section 51 are of an interior diameter greater than the interior diameter of the section 48 to facilitate the freedom of travel of the fuel from one section into the other. Having the various conduit sections successively of increased diameters permits the various conveyors to run with a full capacity load without clogglng.

This application is a division of my application for improvements in locomotive stokers, filed July 10, 1934, Serial No. 734,557, Patent No. 2,064,283, issued December 15, 1936.

I claim:

1. In a locomotive and tender, a fuel conduit system inclu-ding a trough mounted on the tender, a delivery conduit including a forward and a rearward section telescopically connected, said forward section being rigidly fixed to the locomotive and said rearward section being supported on the locomotive and mounted for slidable movement longitudinally of the locomotive and fixed against vertical and lateral movement, an intermediate conduit connecting the rearward end of the rearward section of said delivery conduit and the forward end of said trough conduit, and conveying means in said conduit system for conveying fuel therethrough.

2. In a. locomotive and tender, a fuel conduit system including a trough rigidly mounted on the tender, a delivery conduit including a forward and a rearward section telescopically connected, said forward section being rigidly fixed to the locomotive and said rearward section being slidably mounted on the locomotive for longitudinal movement and being fixed against vertical and lateral movement, an intermediate conduit universally connected at its forward end with the rearward end of the rearward section of said delivery conduit and universally connected at its rearward end with the forward end of said trough conduit, and conveying means in said conduit system for conveying fuel therethrough.

3. In a locomotive having a deck and a firebox provided with a firing opening, and a tender, a fuel conduit system including a trough rigidly mounted on the tender, a delivery conduit communicating with said firing opening including a forward and a rearward section telescopically connected, said forward section being rigidly fixed to the locomotive and said rearward section being supported by said deck and arranged for longitudinal sliding movement and fixed against vertical and lateral movement, an intermediate conduit universally connected at its forward end with the rearward end of the rearward section of said delivery conduit and universally connected at its rearward end with the forward end of said trough conduit, and conveying means in said conduit system for conveying fuel therethrough.

4. In a locomotive and tender, a fuel conduit system including a trough rigidly mounted on the ten-der, a delivery conduit including a forward and a rearward section telescopically connected, an intermediate conduit universally connected at its forward end with the rearward end of the rearward section of said delivery conduit andv universally connected at its rearward end with the forward end of said trough conduit, a support member for supporting the adjacent ends of said intermediate conduit and the rearward section of said delivery conduit on the locomotive, said support member being arranged to permit relative longitudinal movement of said intermediate conduit and said delivery conduit rearward section with respect to the locomotive and to prevent relative vertical and lateral movement therebetween, and conveying means in said conduit system for conveying fuel therethrough.

WILLIAM N. WRIGHT. 

